Merkur Classic 34C HD Safety Razor

September 8, 2009

Today sees the first in a series of shaving posts dedicated to the classic German-made Merkur double edged safety razors, which are seeing a resurgence due to the popularity of their newer models such as the iconic Futur and Vision razors. Let’s journey back a few years to the days before Merkur invented their 6 setting fine adjustment system, the days of the Merkur 34C HD Double-Edge Safety Razor (Heavy Duty), where the shave was only as good as the skill of the user and his ability to find a synergy between a razor and blade best suited to his shaving technique. The HD derives its name from its heavy head, which when combined with the short handle, makes the razor not only highly recommended for beginners, but ever popular with the experts.

Described as the ‘ideal starter wet-shave razor’ (some would argue the vintage Gillette ‘Fatboy’ does a better job), the Merkur Classic 34C HD has been around for nearly 100 years. Over the years the razor has gained a reputation for performance and simplicity, and has been the foundation for other Merkur favourites, such as the ‘Hefty’ (thicker handle) and the 38C ‘Barberpole’ (longer handle) but we’ll focus on these in more detail in coming posts. The Merkur 34C HD Double-Edge Safety Razor is available in both Closed or Open Comb; Closed Comb style is standard and better suited for new wet-shavers and those who have normal to light beard growth. The Open Comb version of the “Classic” safety razor is more ‘aggressive’ and better suited to more experienced wet-shavers, especially for tough, heavy beards.